Conservation Biology: The science of managing and conserving (analyzing and protecting) our earth s biological systems Conservation Biology Integrates ecology, population biology, physiology, molecular biology, genetics, evolutionary biology to conserve biological diversity at all levels Sustain ecosystem processes Restoration ecology - rehabilitate degraded systems Biodiversity Species diversity: number of different species and relative abundance (compared to others) Genetic diversity: ensuring a healthy gene poolproblems with bottlenecks Ecological diversity: numbers of habitat types - relates directly with species diversity But WHY is it important?? What s the problem? Human population Habitat destruction Fisheries crashing Resource depletion Sustainable harvesting? Social/economic problems? That global insurance policy? Disease Unknowns? 1
5 major threats to biodiversity Habitat destruction** Introduced species Overexploitation Ecosystem dynamics disruption (eg. the otters and the kelp beds) Climate change Island Conservation: a science based approach to management the case of the burros on the loose Habitat fragmentation http://www.islandconservation.org - Introduced Mammals 2
Approaches to conservation biology The short-tailed albatross: species approach Species approach Managing for a species, eg. one in critical status: Pandas, California Condors Breeding programs Population approach Managing for individual populations, not an entire species. Eg. Elephants Relocation programs Ecosystem approach Managing for an interconnected system to preserve diversity The California Condor: species approach Condor history 1924 last sighting of condor in Arizona 1926 captive condor - infertile eggs 1952: San Diego capture and breed condors 1953 first legal protection 1965-60 birds left in the wild 1967 - listed as endangered 1983 - first eggs hatched in captivity 1992-first wild release 1993-5 wild condors (of 72) 2006 - second fledged in the wild! 2007-2 eggs hatched at SD zoo - one released back to parents 2012: 405 living, 226 wild 3
Condor sanctuaries and protected areas: corridors? Monitor causes of death (lead) Education Captive breeding programs** Radio-tagging for monitoring Control poaching Federal listing and State listing as endangered : legal protection Research: life history, behavior Translocation Condor recovery Population level management: ESUs or Evolutionarily Significant Units Identify populations (units) that need protection Develop and implement plans Steelhead: Onchorhynchus mykiss Tuna, Manta Rays - a population approach? African Elephants History of severe poaching and habitat fragmentation Population Approach Establishment of protected areas left some populations expanding and others still in trouble Manage populations separately Complex social systems Translocation programs Induced sterility Culling 4
Ecosystem Approach IUCN - world conservation union: The Ecosystem Approach places human needs at the centre of biodiversity management. It aims to manage the ecosystem, based on the multiple functions that ecosystems perform and the multiple uses that are made of these functions. The ecosystem approach does not aim for short-term economic gains, but aims to optimize the use of an ecosystem without damaging it. Management Protected areas: The Convention on Biological Diversity defines protected areas as: "a geographically defined area which is designated or regulated and managed to achieve specific conservation objectives. IUCN the world conservation union defines protected areas as: "areas of land and/or sea especially dedicated to the protection and maintenance of biological diversity, and of natural and associated cultural resources, and managed through legal or other effective means." Management Protected areas: Multiple use Wilderness areas Buffer zones for use Recreational areas Your National Wildlife Refuge System Management Restoration Ecology: restoring disturbed/depleated habitats Bioremediation-using living organisms to detoxify and/or restore ecosystem function Augmentation of ecosystem processes: biogeochemical cycles and limiting nutrients: restore those 5
Asian Elephants 30,000 in 13 countries?? Fragmented habitat Habitat loss and conflict with farmers Ivory poaching Illegal capture: work or tourism And YOU own this one - make good informed decisions about it! Species Approach Case Study: The Asian Elephant Elephant and wildlife corridor between park and sanctuary Manage human/elephant conflict (elephant deterrents Education Use domesticated Elephants to help protect Radio-tagging elephants outside of protected areas Control poaching Restore landscapes for elephants Ecotourism ($$) Breeding Monitoring populations Research: life history, behavior Translocation 6